In the conventional trim operating lever device, a handle grip attached to a left portion of a steering handle is turned by hand (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 9-281132 (JP 9-281132) (p.5; FIG. 16)).
FIG. 9 is an illustration of a conventional left-side grip portion (a copy from FIG. 16 of JP 9-281132).
The conventional left-side grip 8b is for vertically oscillating a nozzle deflector provided at a jet port (for obtaining a trim angle) by being turned to a predetermined angle position, and comprises a trigger lever 91 for locking the left-side grip 8b in the predetermined angle position. With the left-side grip 8b turned to the predetermined angle position, the trim angle of the nozzle deflector can be set to any one of a neutral position (horizontal), an up position (upwards) and a down position (downwards). In the turning operation, first, the trigger lever 91 is pulled in, the left-side grip 8b is turned to the predetermined angle position, and the trigger lever 91 is released, upon which the left-side grip 8b is locked.
In the conventional left-side grip 8b as above-mentioned, it takes labor for the action of hand at the time of turning thereof. Specifically, first, the trigger lever 91 is pulled by an index finger (first action), subsequently the left-side grip 8b is turned to the predetermined angle position (second action), and finally the index finger is released from the trigger lever 91 (third action). Thus, three operations are necessary, which takes labor, and results in poor operability.
In addition, in the turning of the left-side grip 8b, it is difficult to enlarge the operating force, so that it is difficult to vertically oscillate (rotate) the nozzle deflector quickly.
Therefore, a need exists for a trim operating lever device for a personal watercraft that reduces the number of operations by the left hand that are necessary for swinging a nozzle and that allows the nozzle to be swung quickly.